Book Meme

I am a Meme slacker and rule-breaker. My apologies. But this one from Ebeth (thanks for thinking of me!) was intriguing to a bibliophile like myself. It's just too bad I'm not reading something really profound like St. Augustine's Confessions like I and surely most moms of young kids, of course, usually do.

Anyhow, I've decided to post this book Meme over here first even though it was directed at my other blog because my chosen book pertains to exercise and body image. I'm juggling several books right now, but I decided to feature a book that's on my nightstand that I actually first read in college and have revisited several times since. It's Making Peace with Food by Susan Kano and out of the slew of books on eating disorders and body image I've read I found it to be one of the most helpful.

Now without further ado, I'm supposed to turn to page 56 and write down the fifth sentence as well as a few sentences following it, so here goes:

"You can decide when to exercise in advance, put that time aside in your schedule, and avoid constantly asking yourself, 'Shall I exercise today or not?'

If you stop exercising for a long period of time, there is no need to feel guilty. It happens to everyone, and feeling bad about it is unproductive. Remember that you are still the same person you were while exercising - lack of exercise has made you less fit, not less worthy. Just as eating poorly does not make you a 'bad' person. Ideally, you should handle it in the same way most people who love to be active handle it: mildly regret that you haven't been enjoying the fun and mental relaxation you had been enjoying and go back to it as soon as you can."

Now I'm going to cheat and include a passage I highlighted way down on this page just because it's something competitive, little me needs to be reminded of (yes, I admit I have been that crazy preggo lady on the elliptical trainer at the gym who's racing the dude in the spandex shorts next to me to see who can pump their arms and move their legs the fastest):

"Do not fall into the trap of pushing yourself so hard that you push yourself away from the fun of exercise."

Just in case you're wondering: Maniacal elliptical training doesn't really fall into the fun category.

Breaking a Sweat

Today I had the rare opportunity to hit the pavement sans the kiddos. Without my sidekicks, I could focus on my running/walking rhythm, the beat of my heart, and the sweat beads forming all over my body. It was hot – an oppressive kind of hot that only comes when you live in a city that shares roughly the same latitude as Beirut and Casablanca. But I was happy to be alone in the elements, moving my body, even if I could no longer physically cover as much ground as I once did.

Just three years ago, I was what you'd call an avid runner. I’d easily log in 20-plus miles a week. Sometimes I’d run with friends, but mostly I liked to run alone. This was my time to think without any distractions. I’d fall into the rhythm of running and my thoughts somehow became looser and more free-flowing. It was during my runs when I problem-solved, made goals that had nothing to do with fitness, and often prayed.

I don’t run much these days. A chronic injury has sidelined me for a few years now. However, I do make an effort to exercise consistently. Of course, I no longer find much time for what I refer to as contemplative exercise. I take regular walks, but my little ones are usually with me. I’m not complaining; our walks together are fun. In fact, I realized that even today I was staring at a puffy cloud and seeing the profile of a triceratops since Madeline and I try to find objects floating in the sky. I also saw some bright pink blossoms and imagined Madeline saying, “Can we plant some flowers like ‘dat’ someday?” When I’m with my kids, I notice things my adult senses gloss over – the neighborhood dog barking (“Can we have a dog like ‘dat’ someday, Mommy?”), the sunny daffodils, the airplane in the sky, or even the dried, dead worm on the sidewalk. Kids’ perpetual wonderment is such a gift!

Still, it was nice to be alone today with no distractions. I picked up the pace and ran for a mile or so before my hip started screaming at me. My lungs were slightly burning. Sweat was starting to slide down my body. I felt the sun’s heat burn on my skin. I was thankful for my body’s response to the exercise. It reminded me of all that I’m capable of and of my strength. I realized that this is why I regularly break a sweat – whether with my kids or solo. It’s not really because I want to look a certain way or be swimsuit-ready. It’s because it reminds me that my body is a gift from God and that I am healthy and alive. I often find that exercise it as good for the soul as it is for the body.